Set in 1601, English mercenary Solomon Kane converts to Puritanism and renounces violence after an encounter with a demon makes him believe his previous violent actions have damned his soul.
"Solomon Kane" succeeds by embracing its identity as a straightforward genre exercise, complete with bone-crunching and blood-spurting action. By not aiming for more, it hits its target.
Uneven and far less deep that it believes itself to be, Solomon Kane is nevertheless a solid B-movie diversion that excels when sticking to its pulpy, action-fantasy roots.
Mr. Basset is too enamored of the usual action film clichés ... But he has a graphic visual style that suits the simplistic material and he keeps you watching even as the wet, sucking sounds of skewered flesh grows tedious.
Common Sense Media
October 04, 2012
Director Michael J. Bassett seems to know how to correctly handle the material, giving it a lightness of touch but also enough bloody and shocking spectacle to stir up viewers.
Formulaic, but it settles down into a fine if square-jawed groove, delivering rousing adventure of a sort which should generally please fans of throwback, morally black-and-white entertainment.
